Sorry if this isn't the right place I just need to get this out and maybe some people here will understand and I won't feel guilty for being resentful.
The minimum age to work in the UK is 16. My mum forced me to get a job as soon as I turned 16. Since then I've never been unemployed for longer than two weeks. Including the time my mum quit my job for me as boss had been bullying me and I finally got the courage to tell her what was going on. The next day was shouting that she didn't raise a scrounger and I had to find a job.
I was doing full time school (6am wake, home after 4pm) and a 4am start for a 6 – 3 shift Saturday and Sunday. When I started college ( 5am wake, 3 buses (hour and half each way travel time) home 6.30) I then worked 12 hour shifts Saturday and Sunday as a KP (6am wake, work 8am til 8pm).
I'm 35 and just completely done. I was so busy just trying to survive and get everything done that I have no idea what I actually enjoy and want to do.
I know people probably won't read this but please let your children have time to explore what they want and who they are. Different jobs at different places and being unemployed to explore interests and maybe volunteering somewhere instead of being voluntold where they're going and what they're to do.
I feel guilty for being resentful as I understand they were trying to prepare me for the world but at the same time the money wasn't needed. They didn't charge rent or board, they paid for my essentials and all I used my pay for was phone top ups, bus fare and 'wants' which as I was always either working, studying or sleeping wasn't much.
Don't make your child go through what I did, please.